Connector for coupling a tracheal tube to an auxiliary device

ABSTRACT

Various embodiments of a connector assembly are provided to removably couple a proximal end of a tracheal tube to components associated with a ventilator or an anesthesiology machine. The disclosed embodiments include a compression fitting, which creates an airtight seal between walls of the tracheal tube and components of the compression fitting, thus allowing air to flow to and from a patient.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.12/533,188 filed Jul. 31, 2009, the contents of which are herebyincorporated by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates generally to medical devices and, moreparticularly, to airway devices, such as tracheal tubes.

This section is intended to introduce the reader to aspects of art thatmay be related to various aspects of the present disclosure, which aredescribed and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to behelpful in providing the reader with background information tofacilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the presentdisclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statementsare to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.

Conventional tracheal tubes are supplied in standard lengths and sizesand are chosen for a patient mainly based on their size and age. Suchtracheal tubes are typically used in conjunction with connectors, whichfacilitate coupling of the proximal end of the tracheal tube to tubingassociated with a ventilator or an anesthesiology machine. Theseconnectors typically include a cylindrical section of the standardfifteen millimeter size for mating with conventional tracheal tubes. Dueto variability in patient size and differences in the sizes and lengthsof conventional tracheal tubes, anesthesiologists often find itnecessary to shorten the length of the proximal (external) end of thetracheal tube such that the end of the tracheal tube is closer to theintubation site. To this end, anesthesiologists often remove a portionof the tracheal tube by cutting, thus allowing the tracheal tube, anyassociated connectors and any auxiliary tubing to be easily attached tothe patient, eliminating inadvertent movement during use.

Tracheal tubes are often placed in the airway of a patient in emergencymedical situations, such as when a patient experiences cardiac orrespiratory arrest, which necessitate protection of the airway frompossible obstruction or occlusion in a timely manner. Oftentimes,tracheal tubes are supplied by the manufacturer with the connectoralready attached to the proximal end of the tracheal tube. Becauseshortening of such tubes requires the anesthesiologist to remove theconnector from the proximal end of the tracheal tube, cut the trachealtube, and reinsert the connector in the tracheal tube, valuable time isconsumed in emergency situations. Additional time is often consumedbecause it can be difficult to reinsert conventional connectors backinto the cut end of the tracheal tube. For instance, the traditionalconnector and tracheal tube T shown in FIG. 7 illustrate the drawbacksof conventional connectors. The extension E of the connector that mustbe reinserted into the tracheal tube T after cutting has an outerdiameter d. To fit this end of the connector into the tracheal tube T, aflaring device must be used to expand the tracheal tube T from a normalopening size N to a flared opening size F. This flaring expands theinner diameter of the tube T to diameter D, such that the extension E ofthe connector may be reinserted into the tube T. Upon reinsertion of thetraditional connector, the force required to pull the connector from thetube may be greatly reduced, thus increasing the risk of undesirabledislodging of the connector from the tracheal tube during use. Thisinadvertent dislodging can disconnect the ventilator, thus breaking thebreathing circuit, which presents high risk to the patient. Accordingly,there exists a need for improved connectors that provide secure andefficient attachment and reattachment for tracheal tubes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Advantages of the present disclosure may become apparent upon readingthe following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 a illustrates an exemplary endotracheal tube removably attachedto a connector assembly in accordance with aspects of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 1 b illustrates the proximal end of the endotracheal tubeillustrated in FIG. 1 a in accordance with aspects of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 2 illustrates a cross sectional view of the proximal end of theendotracheal tube illustrated in FIG. 1 a;

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary cut endotracheal tube prior to insertionof the threaded body of the connector in the proximal end of theendotracheal tube;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of an exemplary connector assembly inaccordance with aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the exemplary connector assembly;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the exemplary connector assembly of FIG.5; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a conventional connector assembly asseen in the prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

One or more specific embodiments of the present disclosure will bedescribed below. In an effort to provide a concise description of theseembodiments, not all features of an actual implementation are describedin the specification. It should be appreciated that in the developmentof any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or designproject, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made toachieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance withsystem-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from oneimplementation to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that sucha development effort might be complex and time consuming, but wouldnevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, andmanufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of thisdisclosure.

As discussed in further detail below, various embodiments of a connectorassembly are provided to removably couple a proximal end of a trachealtube to components associated with a ventilator or an anesthesiologymachine. The connector assembly is removable rather than permanent,capable of being attached to a cut tracheal tube, capable of attachingto a tracheal tube without the use of a flaring device, capable ofallowing a smooth transition between the connector and the trachealtube, and so forth. The disclosed embodiments include a compressionfitting, which creates an airtight seal between walls of the trachealtube and components of the compression fitting, thus allowing air toflow to and from a patient. In one embodiment, the connector assemblyincludes two o-rings, which are configured to lodge in the compressionfitting and create the airtight seal. The foregoing features, amongothers, may have the effect of increasing both the pull force necessaryto remove the connector assembly from the tracheal tube and the ease andefficiency of tracheal tube shortening.

Disclosed embodiments may offer distinct advantages over traditionalconnectors since use of the connector assembly does not require anoriginal connector to be reinserted into the tracheal tube aftershortening. Alternatively, present embodiments provide for the proximalend of the cut tracheal tube to be placed inside the connector assemblywith ease. This feature may have the effect of reducing the amount oftime an anesthesiologist would otherwise spend flaring and reinsertingthe original connector in emergency situations in which time is acritical factor. Also, since the tracheal tube fits inside the connectorassembly, the inner diameter of the tracheal tube is maintained aftertube shortening. That is, the inner diameter of the ventilator circuitdoes not change after reinsertion of the tracheal tube to the connectorassembly, thus providing an unobstructed air pathway from theventilator.

Additionally, present embodiments provide a secure attachment betweenthe tracheal tube and the connector assembly via the use of a threadednut, which provides a compressive force that prohibits the tracheal tubefrom dislodging from the connector assembly. In some embodiments, thesecure attachment may allow for the connector assembly to be the solemeans of connecting the tracheal tube to other components in theventilator circuit. For instance, the connector assembly may be suppliedwith or on the tracheal tube for initial use. In such embodiments, theconnector assembly may be used with a cut or uncut tracheal tube asdesired.

Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 a illustrates an exemplaryendotracheal tube 10 in accordance with aspects of the presentdisclosure. The endotracheal tube 10 includes a central tubular body 12with proximal and distal ends 14 and 16, respectively. In theillustrated embodiment, the proximal end 14 is outfitted with aconnector assembly 18 that may be attached to a mechanical ventilatorduring operation. The distal end 16 terminates in an opening 20 and maybe placed in a patient's trachea during operation to maintain airflow toand from the patient's lungs. As illustrated, a cuff 22 may be attachedto the distal end 16 of the tubular body 12 that may be inflated to sealagainst the walls of a body cavity (e.g., the trachea). The cuff 22 maybe inflated via an inflation lumen 26 connected to a fixture 28 locatedoutside the patient during operation.

The tubular body 12 and the cuff 22 may be formed from materials havingdesirable mechanical properties (e.g., puncture resistance, pin holeresistance, tensile strength, and so forth) and desirable chemicalproperties (e.g., biocompatibility). In one embodiment, the walls of thecuff 22 may be made of a polyurethane (e.g., Dow Pellethane® 2363-80A)having suitable mechanical and chemical properties. In otherembodiments, the walls of the cuff 22 may be made of a suitablepolyvinyl chloride (PVC). In certain embodiments, the cuff 22 may begenerally sized and shaped as a high volume, low pressure cuff that maybe designed to be inflated to pressures between about 15 cm H.sub.2O and30 cm H.sub.2O. In the illustrated embodiment the cuff 22 secures theendotracheal tube 10 in the body cavity of the patient. However, itshould be noted that in alternative embodiments cuffless endotrachealtubes may be used in conjunction with present embodiments of theconnector assembly 18.

FIG. 1 b illustrates the connector assembly 18 in more detail. Theconnector assembly 18 includes a body 30 with a first end 32 that isconfigured to attach to components of a ventilator or anesthesiologymachine, such as tubing, connectors, and so forth. The body 30 alsoincludes a second end 34 with threads 36 that are configured to engage alocking nut 38. An extension 40 of the body 30 may be used by aphysician to grip and place the second end 34 of the body 30 around theendotracheal tube 10 during operation. The second end 34 of the body 30also includes one or more slits 42 that facilitate the compression ofthe second end 34 when the locking nut 38 is threadably engaged with thebody 30 during use. The locking nut 38 includes ridges 44, which allowthe user to thread the locking nut 38 on the body 30. It should be notedthat other types of compression may be used in further embodiments tosecure a connector to the tracheal tube. For instance, in oneembodiment, a ferrule fitting may be used in place of the connectorassembly 18 illustrated in FIG. 1 b. In such an embodiment, a ferrulering may be placed around the tracheal tube, and a nut may be tightenedaround the ferrule ring such that it is tightened around the trachealtube, thereby creating an airtight seal and holding the connectorsecurely in place.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the connector assembly 18 attachedto the tubular body 12 of the endotracheal tube 10. As illustrated, anaperture 46 in the first end 32 of the body 30 opens into a channel thatextends axially throughout the connector assembly 18 and the tubularbody 12 of the endotracheal tube 10. The inside of the first end 32 ofthe body 30 includes a wide portion at the aperture 46 that becomesnarrower in diameter as it extends further into the body 30. At thenarrowest end of the axial channel, an airtight seal is formed betweenthe tubular body 12 of the endotracheal tube 10 and the body 30 of theconnector assembly 18 via a first o-ring 48 and a second o-ring 50. Thatis, when the locking nut 38 is threadably engaged with the body 30 ofthe connector assembly 18, the o-rings 48, 50 function to ensure thatairflow to and from the patient does not leak when in transit betweenthe patient and the ventilator or anesthesiology machine. The seals alsohelp to maintain the connector 18 on the outer surface of theendotracheal tube 10. In some embodiments, as in that illustrated, thetubular body 12 may be axially slid into the body 30 until it reaches anabutment, which may indicate proper positioning of the tubular body 12in the body 30 of the connector assembly 18 to a user. It should berecognized that, while the illustrated embodiment utilizes two o-ringseals 48 and 50, other sealing arrangements may be employed in certaindesigns. Moreover, it may be possible to form the body of the connector18 so as to perform the sealing function without the addition ofseparate sealing elements. For instance, the body of the connector 18may be made of an elastomeric material or may be manufactured with anadhesive coating such that the body is self sealing.

As previously mentioned, the connector assembly 18 may be used inconjunction with conventional endotracheal tubes 10 in instances when ananesthesiologist finds it desirable to shorten the length of theproximal end 14 of the endotracheal tube 10 such that the external endof the endotracheal tube 10 is closer to the intubation site. Suchinstances may occur due to variability in patient size and differencesin the sizes and lengths of conventional endotracheal tubes 10. In theseinstances, anesthesiologists may remove a portion of the endotrachealtube 10 by cutting, thus allowing the endotracheal tube 10, anyassociated connectors, and any auxiliary tubing to be easily attached tothe patient via adhesives or straps, eliminating inadvertent movementduring use. Shortening of such endotracheal tubes 10 traditionallyrequires the anesthesiologist to remove an originally supplied connectorfrom the proximal end 14 of the endotracheal tube 10, to cut theendotracheal tube 10, and to reinsert the original supplied connector inthe endotracheal tube 10. Reinsertion of the original connector may bedifficult since the endotracheal tube 10 tends to constrict aftercutting. Additionally, reinserted original connectors may have reducedpull-out force performance as compared to the original configuration.

FIG. 3 illustrates how the exemplary connector assembly 18 may be usedin conjunction with traditional endotracheal tubes 10 to alleviate someof the difficulties associated with conventional systems. In theillustrated embodiment, the proximal end 14 of the endotracheal tube 10may be cut along dashed line 52 to shorten the tubular body 12. Thelocking nut 38 may then be axially slid onto the end of the tubular body12 in the direction generally indicated by arrows 54, toward the distalend 16 of the tubular body 12. The second end 34 of the body 30 of theconnector assembly 18 can then be axially slid in the direction ofarrows 54 over a new proximal end 56 of the tubular body 12 such thatthe endotracheal tube 10 is received in the second end 34 of the body 30of the connector assembly 18. Accordingly, in a presently contemplatedembodiment, the diameter of the body 30, and the second end 34 that isconfigured to slide over the tubular body 12. The first end 32 isapproximately fifteen millimeters, which is a standard size used forendotracheal tube connectors, although in certain embodiments, theconnector may be sized to appropriately fit other ventilator circuits(e.g., 8 mm, 22 mm). Moreover, it should be noted that in alternativeembodiments, the diameter of the second end 34 may be any dimensionsuitable for receiving tracheal tubes of various sizes,

Once the body 30 of the connector assembly 18 has been axially slid ontothe new proximal end 56 of the tubular body 12, the locking nut 38 maybe axially slid in the general direction of arrows 58 towards the newproximal end 56 and away from the distal end 16 of the tubular body 12The locking nut 38 may then be threadably engaged with the threads 36 onthe second end 34 of the body 30 of the connector assembly 18 via theridges 44 that the user may grip and use to turn the locking nut 38. Insome embodiments, owing to the taper of the threaded region of the body30, advancement of the locking nut 38 onto the threads 36 tends toconstrain and tighten the threaded region onto the outer surface of thetube 12 by exerting a radial force on the tube 12. It should be notedthat in other embodiments, the threaded region of the body 30 may not betapered. For instance, the threads may extend from a shallow region to adeeper region to keep the tracheal tube lodged in the connector 18.Applying a conventional pull force (i.e., an axial force in the generaldirection of arrows 58) once the connector assembly 18 has been lockedon the tubular body 12 will not dislodge the endotracheal tube 10 fromthe connector assembly 18. Additionally, o-rings 48, 50 provide anairtight seal such that airflow through the tubular body 12 and theconnector assembly 18 remains contained in the confines of the axialchannel.

FIGS. 4-6 are an exploded view, a perspective view, and a sectionalview, respectively, of the connector assembly 18. FIG. 4 illustrates thebody 30, the first o-ring 48, the second o-ring 50, and the locking nut38 in more detail. As illustrated, the second end 34 of the body 30extends from a portion of the body 30 with a larger diameter to aportion of the body 30 with a smaller diameter. This feature allows thebody 30 to securely fit over and receive the tubular body 12 during use.In some embodiments, the body 30 may be made of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)or another suitable material. The first o-ring 48 and the second o-ring50 are configured to lodge in the body 30 of the connector assembly 18as shown in FIG. 6 and may be made of materials such as Nitrile or Vitonor another suitable material. The locking nut 38 that engages with thethreads on the body 30 and may be made of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) oranother suitable material. In the presently contemplated embodimentshown, the body 30, as illustrated in FIG. 5, includes four slits 42.However, it should be noted that in other embodiments, the body 30 maycontain more or fewer slits 42 as desired.

In certain embodiments, components of the connector assembly 18 may bereplaceable, disposable, and/or able to be sterilized. For instance, theo-rings 48, 50 may be made of a suitable material such that they may bediscarded and replaced as desired. Similarly, the entire connectorassembly 18 may be made of suitable materials such that the assembly 18may be removed from the endotracheal tube 10, sterilized via heattreatment or other suitable methods, and recoupled to the endotrachealtube 10. Alternatively, the connector assembly 18 may be made ofsuitable materials such that it may be discarded and replaced as desiredfor patients requiring long term care.

As noted above, various alternative configurations may be envisioned forthe compression fitting and connector. In addition to those outlinedabove, the structure utilizing a body fitting over the tube end and amating nut disposed around the tube may be reversed, or a multi-partconnector may be employed with more than one body part, while stillproviding compressive securement to the tube end.

While the disclosure may be susceptible to various modifications andalternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way ofexample in the drawings and have been described in detail herein.However, it should be understood that the embodiments provided hereinare not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed.Rather, the various embodiments may cover all modifications,equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of thedisclosure as defined by the following appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of coupling a tracheal tube to aninterface element of an auxiliary device comprising: cutting a trachealtube to a desired length; placing the tracheal tube through an axialopening of a threaded locking nut; lodging a proximal end of thetracheal tube in an aperture in a second end of a radially compressiblethreaded body; and threading the locking nut on the second end of thethreaded body such that an airtight seal is formed between walls of thetracheal tube and the threaded body.
 2. The method of claim 1, whereinthe threaded body comprises one or more slits configured to permitradial compression of the threaded body as the locking nut is advancedonto the threaded body.
 3. The method of claim 1, comprising inflating acuff of the tracheal tube to secure the tracheal tube in a body cavity.4. The method of claim 1, comprising forming the airtight seal via oneor more sealing elements disposed within the threaded body.
 5. Themethod of claim 1, comprising connecting a first end of the threadedbody to an auxiliary device.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein thesecond end tapers from a large diameter to a smaller diameter.
 7. Themethod of claim 1, comprising substantially surrounding the trachealtube with the second end of the threaded body.
 8. The method of claim 1,wherein the auxiliary device comprises a ventilator or anesthesiologymachine.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the threaded body and thelocking nut are made of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC).
 10. The method ofclaim 4, wherein the one or more sealing element is made of Nitrile orViton.
 11. A connector assembly for a tracheal tube, comprising: aninterface element of an auxiliary device, comprising a radiallycompressible threaded body that is configured to receive a proximal endof the tracheal tube; a threaded locking nut comprising an axial openingconfigured to receive the tracheal tube, wherein the threaded lockingnut is configured to couple to the radially compressible threaded body.12. The connector assembly of claim 11, wherein the connector assemblyis configured to create an airtight seal between the compressiblethreaded body and the tracheal tube.
 13. The connector assembly of claim11, comprising one or more sealing elements disposed within the radiallycompressible threaded body, wherein the sealing elements are configuredto form the airtight seal.
 14. The connector assembly of claim 11,wherein the radially compressible threaded body comprises one or moreslits configured to permit radial compression of the radiallycompressible threaded body.
 15. The connector assembly of claim 11,wherein the radially compressible threaded body is configured tosubstantially surround the proximal end of the tracheal tube.
 16. Theconnector assembly of claim 11, wherein the radially compressiblethreaded body and the threaded locking nut are made of PolyvinylChloride (PVC).
 17. The connector assembly of claim 13, wherein thesealing element comprises Nitrile or Viton.